Electrical station-indicating system.



A'tinctly visible characters.

1 UANiTED STATESl 'PATENT oFFiCE.

nSpecicatonof Letters Patent.

'Patentedpee 25, 1906. j

' Application filed December 27, 1904. Serial No. 238,429.

To` a/ZZ whom) t may concern:

Beit known that I,- JOSEF EssEa-a citizen of the Empire Aof Germany, residing ati Mnchen-Gladbach, in the Empire of Ger- 5 many, have invented a new and useful Elec-f tri'cal Station-Indicating System, of 'whichy the following is a specification. My-invention relates to an electrical sys-V tem in a railway-train for showing to the zo. travelers in the several carriages .or in theirf compartments the names of the different stations a sufficiently long time before the Varrival 'of the "train at the respective station. This electrical system comprises a sender un-I der the charge of the conductor, a series of -receivers in the different carriages or compartments, and aseries of lines connectingthe sender with the receivers. -Each-receiver is `inclosed in a box on the wall-'orion the ceiling and is arranged to show in a win-3 dow the-name of--an'y station -in'la'rge dis-t true, known electrical station-indicating systems in which the sender comprisesA several- 'adjustable sign-bearers for the different lete ters of a station-name, and the receivers-v aref arranged to print characters similar to those adjusted on the sender one by-oneon a con- =tinuous"strip -of paper.- My newl system, 3o however, differs from these old systems in;v

' that also-the several receivers "are each pro-1` vided-'with adjustable Asign-bearers corresponding to'those of the sender; further, thatseparate branch systems A"connect the-signbearers of the receivers with those `of the1 senderand that a main line and a main -return connect the several'branch systems Withi Y battery. My new system is so arrangedI that the -several sign-bearersfon thesender'I 4c are first adjusted by the conductor and theni a vclockwork is wound up ,and thereby put in motion, so that consecutive impulses are 'sent through the several branch systems for actuating the signbearers of all the-receiv-v 4 S 'fers until they are all respectively adjusted in correspondence with the sign-:bearers of the sender, when the receivers-will all show in their windows the correct-nameof the next 'stationl 5o' I-w-ill now proceed to describe my inven-l ytion with 4reference fto the accompanying drawings, in which-"i I- "l l*Figure lis an elevation of the first-compartmen-t ofthe sender`,`which'-contains a:

There are, it is.

-ters of the longest name-of ast-ation. Fig. 9 l have shown nineteen compartments; -but this-number may be increased or decreased, according to thecircumstances. A :horizontal axle l, Figsi 1 to 4, is fastenedin -the frame and passes -through all the corn- -partments 1 In each compartment adrum 3,

fstep down to the step nearestto tlieaxle ,1. =The number-of these steps is equal to-thatssof sign-beaer and the clockwork in combination with the winding-on mechanism.- Fig. 2 is a front view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 4 isa vertical section 'through the same on the line A-B in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar vertical section through the lower part of a certain intermediate compartment of the sender, only certain parts being shown. Figs.- 5a and 5b are details, which will be referred to later on. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, only other parts being 'shown for the sake of clearness. Fig. 7'is-a vertical section through the box of a receiver and a side view-of the latter. view of three neighboring compartments of the receiver. Fig. 9 is a diagram ofthe system comprising a sender and three receivers,

"seen from the front; and Fig. `l() is a side view of the same.l

- Similar characters of referencerefer to.. similar parts throughout the several views.

The sender vunder the charge of the con- -ductor is marked S in Fig. Qand comprises a "frame with a series of compartments, the.

number of'which is equal to-that ofthe-let` In 8o a scroll 2, and a ratchet-wheel 7 9 are mount- -ed to turn onfthe axle 1 and are-rigidly con'- vnected with each other. 'fr-ame engages in the ratchet-wheel 79 for A pawl on the holding the-drum 3 in any position, and the.

teeth, of the ratchet-wheel 47 9 are-so formed;

that the drum-3- may be turned in either -i-.r-

-rection, while the pawl 80- rides over .the 'teeth until the drum 3 stops. Preferably Vthe drum 3 is provided with a roughened border A, by means of which it can be easily turned by hand. The circumference of each drum 3 f. is provided with the letters of the alphabet,

marks of punctuation, andl a blank space. rco

-Each scroll 2 has-a plurality ofconcentric steps, which are.V arranged in a-spiral line, so that-the radius of the steps continuously and uniformly decreases from the'most .distant the letters, ythe marks --of punctuation,v and the blank spaceon-the-periphery-of the-drum f1? Fig. 8 is-a'rear .ofwhieh is fastenedon the lever, while its other end lgrasps` the rodk 8.

The countinglever 5 'is frprovided with a pendent projectijon, which may`rest on either step of the scroll 2and :is beveledy off, sothat it is en- `-abledyvto iride over the steps of the scroll 2,

Wlhile vovercoming the tension of the spring 91 'should the drum 3 be turned in the direction ofthe arrow`19 in Fig. 1. In this case the projection of the counting-lever 5 can ascend from the-step of the smallest radius to the step of-"t'he largesftradiu'sl If, on the contrary,thedru1`n 3 is turned ina direction opposite to`that.--of the arrow 19, of course -the' -projection ofv the counting-lever 5 will .slide `off theseveral steps under the action of thespring 91^u`ntil it'strik'es against the face ofqthe scroll `2*,"which connects the two eX- treme steps. The lower arm 6 of the count- `ing-lever is'formedA toa bent 4rack 12, in

whichthe'teeth 10 and 11, Figs. 5 and 6, of

.two v.pays/ls 13 and 15, respectively,v can engage. All therp'awls 13 are two-armed and rockfonaA shaft 17', passing through all the compartments.- A- shaftY 18 is mounted to `turn'in the frame and passes through all the compartments and ncarries in each compartlment anle'ccentricl'on which the pawl 15 Vcan turn 'ThisshaftlS is driven by a clockwork, heriveigriafter` described, inthe direction ofthe hands-of a watch when looked at in Figs;4 1 and 4'.'V It will'be now understood that duringaJ revolutio'n of the shaftlS the ..pawlf15, whichis weighted by its bent rear arm 716 lw'illfmove, say, from left to right, 'so that itstoothll will'ride over the respective'tooth ofthe rack 12, until it engages in the/following space, and then the pawl 15 willimovelffrom right to left'and turn the counting-lever 5 and arm 6, so that the-tooth f 10 ofthe-other pawl 13'ridesover the respec-r tive toothofthe rack, until it engages in the :following space.

y The number of the teeth of the bent rack 12 is equal to that of the ste'plsk ofthe sc'roll 2, and theecce'ntric on the' sha-ft 18 is' adapted for feeding the rack 12 `oneftooth afterthe other. When the tooth .11 fof-the-"pawl *15' has engaged `in the last space ofthe rack 12fon the right in Figs. '1

and'4, itwill-cease feeding the rack 12 and simply move: to and fro a little. Beneath all the rear'a'rms-of'l the pawls `13 of either half of Athersender Sf-passes a tube 55,y which is fastened' onthe'upper end of a lever 53, Fig.

6, rocking on a pin 52 in an intermediate compartment. There are two such interme diate compartments in the sender, and consequently two tubes 55 in the same center line.

passes, which is fastened on the upper arm 50 of a two-armed lever rocking on a pin 4S in the intermediate compartment. This arm 50 is provided with a pin 54, which engages ina recess of the lever 53 already referred to. A shaft 4'1 is mounted to turn in the :frame and passes from the end of the sender shown at Fig. 1 through the greater part of the `whole length to the second intermediate compartment. In the two intermediate .compartments this shaft 41 has fastened on it two disks 46, in the notches 47 of which the lower arms 49 of the two levers 49 50 no1- mally engage. When in a manner to be described later on the shaft 41 is turned inthe direction of the arrow in Fig. 6, the two lower arms 49 will get out of the notches 47 of the two disks 46. In other words, they will be depressed, so that the two uplwrarms 50 will be turned upward and lift through the two tubes 51 all the rear arms 16 oi the pawls 15, and thereby withdraw all the teeth 11 from the bent racks 12. At the same time the pins 54 of thertwo upper arms 50 will have turned the two levers 53 upward through a small angle and lifted through the two tubes 55 all the rear arms of the pawls .13, and thereby withdrawn all the teeth 1() .from the bent racks 1.2.

The latter being thus released, all the springs 91 will turn all the counting-levers 5 and arms 6 in the direction of the arrow 9 in Fig. 1 until theprojections of all the counting-levers 5 strike the respective steps o f all the scrolls 2. y

The rear arms of all the pawls 13.are each rigidly connected with an elastic contactarm 14, which is insulated fromthepawl 13 by means of a 'disk 2O of insulating material. All the elastic contact-arms 14 engage in bent contact springs 21., which are preferably made turnable on the frame and are in any known mannerl arranged to be simultaneously turned upward at will into,vsay, a hori- `zontal position by means of a handle or the like, so as to bring them out of the .pathsol the elastic contact-arms 14. On turning all `the bent contact-springs 21 downward vinto their normal position (shown at Figs. 1, 4, 5, and 6) all the contact-arms 14 will be enabledto come in contact with the respective contact-springs 21 for closing branch cir- 14, the contact-spring 21, andthe line. 86. .'If,fhowever, the contact-spring 21 is turned cuits, hereinafter described, eachtime when the teeth 10, riding over the teeth of the bent racks 12, are depressed. I, VFastened on the shaft 41 in the two inter-v mediate compartments are also two disks 57 besides the two disks 46 already mentioned. Each of these disks 57 has a notch i 56, in which the arm 59 of a circuit-changing v switch rocking on the pin.,48 normally en-v gages under the action lof a 4leaf-spring 60.-'

y The other arm 58 of this switch is connected with the free end of a doubly-bent contactspring61 (see Figs. 5a and 5'?) and is insulated therefrom by means/of a piece 92 of in sulating material. When released, the dou-xbly-bent contact.- spring 61. comes in. con-f tact with vanother bent contact spring 63 above, (see Fig.'5b,) and the twocontact-i springs 61 and 63 aredisposed on a pillar 62. 20.A

Normally the arm 5 8 .of the circuit-changing switch detaches thefree end of the contact-f spring 6 1 from the upper contact-.spring 63 and rests on the intermediate part ofthe lower contact-spring 61. (SeeFig. 5a.) The circuit-changing switch 58 59 .is insulated fromits pin 48 and 1is electrically connected with the elastic arm 14 by a yielding line 85, so that normally impulses may be `sent through the line 821', thecontact-spring 61,' the switch 58, thelfine 85, the contact-arm upwardV out of the reach .of the contact-arm 14 and if the arm 5 9 of the circuitfchanging (shown at Figs. 1 to 4) a spring-barrel 22 is switch is depressed, the current can onlypass throughthe line; 82, the two contactfsprings'- 61 and 63, Fig.-5b, and the line83. In each intermediate compartment thetwo disks 46 and 5 7 areset at such a-sligh'tz angle to each other that on turning the shaft 41 in the directionof the arrowin Fig. 6 first the arm 59 of the circuit-changing switch is depressed by getting out of the-notch 56 of thedisk 57 so as to change the circuit., and afterward the arm 49fof the two-armed lever 49 50-is de.

pressedby'gettingout of the notch 47 of the disk 46, so as to release all the `bent racks 12 from the teeth lOand llfof their pawls 13v and 15, respectively.' i

- In the first compartment of the sender S mounted to turn on a shaft and is arranged to drive a clockwork with t-h'e iiy 24, and there-A by also to drive the shaft 18 already men-y tioned above.l Within thel first compart-v f ment also a cam 43 isfastened on the shaft 41: y and is arranged to strike the pin 44 `of a lever' 45, fastened on a shaft 31.

This shaft 31is mounted to rock in the frame and extends to without and has fastened on it a detent 36 within'and two levers 33 and 29 without. The detent 36 is arrangedto stop and to release the fly 24. Fastened on the external end of the shaft 18 is a disk 35, on the periphery of which the pin 32 ofthe lever 33.,

,stopped f e, i ,"Each receiver (marked R in.Fig. prise'sas Amany, compartmentsas the `sender 1S. Ontw@ axles 93 and 94, passingzthrough .allthe,cdmpartrnentgtwo drums 64 and 65, Fig-Q7,..respectively, are'mounted to turn in Aeach compartment; "The uppe'r drum 64 is can ride until it engages in a notch 34. The spring-barrel 22 is connected with its shaft by a spring, as usual, and carries two pins 25 25 on opposite sides of the shaft. These two vpins 25 i25 canstrike one after the other the teeth of a curb-wheel 26, fastened on` a shaft which is mounted'I to turn in the frame and The latcarries without a locking-wheel 28.

ter is provided witha cut 27, (shown in Fig.

1,) in which a pin on the lever 29 can engage. The pin 30 is a littlei beveled off and is connected with its lever 29 by means of a leaf-spring in such a manner that it can yield and get out of the ycut 27 on the lever 29 being turned upward. As long as the pin 32 of the lever 33 rides on the periphery ofthe disk35 `the pin 3'0-is held out of contact Withthe disk 28 and is thus prevented from engaging in the cut 27 The curb-wheel 26 or the disk 28 is in any known `manner prevented from tic disk bearing on the frame. When the pin the disk 3 5, ofcourse the lever 29 will partake in this motion ,but its pin 30 will simply strike the periphery of the disk 28, while bending upward alittle its leaf-spring. The

j in the motion of the.. two levers 33 'and-"29,

stdps the yiy 24, and thereby' the clockwork.

Fastened on the external end of the` shaft of` the spring-barre122are a gear-wheel 38 and a pinion. 39. This Lpinion 39 mesheswith a gear-wheel40, fastened on the shaft 41; A

key-,shaft 23is mounted to turn in. theframe and has fastened on it. a gear-wheel. 37, which meshes .with that,f 38, already mentioned. The/fclpckwork is so arranged that the eccentric'shaft 18 may make a number (for examshifting-for example, by means of an elas- :32 of the lever 33 'e`ngages in the notch 34 .of

ilo

ple, thirty) of revolutions, which number is equal V.to or slightly. larger than that'fof the steps. ,ofeach'iscroll 2beforethelily'f24 is .9) ,comi-f elastically .connectedwith the frame by, a helical spring 67;,.Isurroundi'ng the shaft 93 and fastened with its one-end on the frame and with its other end on the drum. A strip 66, of .paper or other material, connects the two drums 64 and 65Y and carries the same signsin the same. order as each drum 3 of the sender S. (See Fig. 8.) The lower drum 65 by any' known spring.

is rigidly connected `with a ratchet-wheel 68, in whichtwopawls 74 and 69` can engage. The onepawl 74 is mounted to turn on a pin 95 on the frame and is provided .with a` rear varm96, whichlatter is overbalanced -by a weight' on `the pawl, as is shown at Fig. 7.

Thexother pawl 69 is pivotally connected with the bent free end of a'lever 70 and is pressed The 'lever 7 0v is mounted tooscillate on"a pin 71 andserves as an armature'ofa pair. of electromagnets 72 72 in'the'respective compartment. Itis pressed upward byv a` helical spring 75 and is thereby normally detached from the electromagnets 72`72,y while atthe same time the movable ipawl 69 iswithdrawn yfrom the ratchet-wheel 68.A Itwill beunderstcod .that each time when the-two electromagnets 7 2. 7 2 are energifted'y they willattract the armature 70 and through a distanceof the signs.

cause the `pawl 69.1to`feed the ratchet-wheel 68. for ymoving downward the strip 66 On the electromag'nets 72 becoming without 'current .thelielic'al spring 75 will return the armature 470, 'withthe pawl 69, to the initial position,

:lwhilefthe' pawl `74`checks the return motion ci" the -strip 66 under the action of the spring 67 Albraking-spring 73 is provided on theI l. lever 70l forpreventing the ratchet-Wheel 68 i'romshifting.. The receiver R is inelosed in a.bo`X"97 A`,with a window 98. zWhen the two Y drums 64 and 65 occupy their initial position,

the'blank space on the strip' 66 will be oppositeto the Window98. On feeding the strip 66y consecutively its different signs will ap-` 'pear oneafter the other in the window 98,

" and'when the strip 66 ceases moving itslast S1 al 'willbe opposite to the Window 98. rWhile :the compartments of the receiver have each ,two electromagnets "72 72, only two pairs 'of electromagnets 7 8` 78 areemplo'yed for simultaneously releasing all the pawls 7 4 from i their ratchet-wheels 68.

partinents. (See Figs. 8 and 9.) The two armatures7 6.'.of1 the two pairs of electromag- `nets"'78.78fare' shown as pivotally [connected ,with-leversy 99'o'n theframe andarranged to pull downward all Ithe rear arms 96 means of two tubesl 100 inthe same center line,

whereuponl all the drums A64 65 will be returned lto their initial positiony `by, the

springs 67.

Each Compartment of the sender S is sepy ,-arately connected by a branch system with ...the corresponding compartments of all the 'receivers AR, of which latter only three are shownin Figs. 9 and 10 for 'wantof space. A

` l y The two elec- .Vtromagnets 78 78 of each pair are arranged on the' l*rear of two adjoining intermediate combranch systems and serves for returning the current to the battery B through the line 102. The bent contact-spring 21 of the sender in each branch system is connected by a line 86 wit-h the pair of electromagnets 72 of the last receiver, and the pairs of electromagnets 72 of the several receivers areconnected one withanother by lines 87 87, while the pair of electromagnets 72 of the Iirst receiver is connected with the main return 101 by the line 81, already mentioned. The upper contact-spring 63 in each intermediate compartment of' the sender is connected in series with the electromagnets 78 .7 8 of the several receivers by lines 83 `83, while the electromagnets 78 78 of the last receiver are connected by the line 84, yalready mentioned, with the main return 101. (See also Fig. 9.)

The electrical station-indicating system is operated as follows: At the commencement all the drums 3 of the sender S may occupy different positions, while the projections of `all the counting-levers '5 either rest on the highest'steps of the scrolls 2 or lloat inthe air. The counting-levers 5 and arms 6.a1e prevented from turning by the teeth 10 and l1 of the two pawls 13 and 15, respectively, engaging in their bent racks 12. All the drums 64 and 65 of the difl'erent receivers R Rin general occupy diflerent positions. Assuming the next station to be "VVashington-thatis, a name with ten letters-the conductor will have to turn, say, the Alirst ten drums 3 of the sender S in either direction and Ito so adjust them, with the aid of the rule 90, that all the letters of the name Washington will appear just above the rule 90. The consequence of this adjustment of the several drums 3 is that in every compartment the projection of the countinglever 5 remains at a certain distance `from the respective step of the scroll 2, on which it would rest if the bent rack 12 were released. Evidently the said distance equals the sum of the heights of the several steps of the scroll 2 when counting from the highest step, the number of these steps being equal to that of the: consecutive signs on the periphery of the drum 3 until the desired sign appears just above the rule 90. Now the conductor turns all the springs 21-out of reach of the contactarms 14 by. means of a handleor the like, to open all the main circuits. He further applies his key to the key-shaft 23 and turns thelatt'er to wind on the spring in the springbarrel 22 by turning its-shaft in thedirection of the arrow in Fig. 1. Thereby of course the shaft 41 is also rotated. On turning the key-shaft iirst each circuit-changing switch 5,8 59 will be brought into the other position by the disk 57 for disconnecting theline 82 from the line 86 and connecting it with the line 83 by means of the two contact-springs 61 and 63. (See Fig. 5b.) Afterward the two arms 49 will be depressed bytheir disks lOO 46 for lifting the fup .tubes 51 5i 55 55, and thereby releasing all the bent racks 12,

f whereupon the latter will' be turned by the respective` springs 91 in the direction ofthe arrow 9 in Fig. 1 until the projections of the counting-levers strike the respective steps of the scrolls 2. Obviously the several counting-levers 5 and arms 6 will now occupy dif'- ferent positions. During the 'revolution of the shaft 41 the cam 43 will strike the pin 44 of the lever'45 and rock the shaft 31, with the detent 36 and thetwo leversl 33 and 29. The detent 36 will release the ily 24, and the lever 29 will withdraw its yielding pin 30 from the cut 27 ofthe disk 28,.and the pin 32 1 of the lever 33 will ride on the periphery of lines 82 are again connected with the respective contact-arms 14, and the teeth 10 and 11 of. all pawls 13 and 15, respectively, will again engage in the bent racks 1,2. l The bent contact-springs 21`are now all returned to their'normal positions by means of the handle or the like. The clockwork being now put in motion will rotate the'shaft 18, with tooth after the other. y other pawls 13 riding over the teeth of the -bentracks 12 cause all the elastic contact.-

its eccentrics, and thereby move all the pawls 15, so that the teeth 11 of the latter simultaneously feed the bent racks 12 one The teeth 10 of all the armsd14 to rock simultaneously, so that the bent contact-springs 21, and thereby closelatter periodically come in contact with the all the main circuits. At each of these moments the battery B will send an impulse through the-line 103, the main line 104, all the lines 82, the contact-springs 61, thecircuit-changing switches 58, the lines 85, the' contact-arms 14, the lines 86, the electromagnets 72 72. of the several receivers R R,

and the intermediate lines 87 87 the lines 81,

' line 102.

the main return 101, and back through the The electromagnets 72 72 being thus energized will fattract their armatures 70 and cause the pawls 69 to turn the ratcheti wheels 68 through a tooth pitch, whereby y the strips 66A are fed one sign after the other past the windows 98. When in any compartment of the sender S the tooth 11 of the pawl 15 engages in the last space of the bent rack 12, it will cease feeding the latter and y simply move a little to and fro, so that the tooth 10 of the other pawl 13 willremain idle ,and hold the contact-arm 14 out of contact with the bent contact-spring 21. Then no 4 impulse will be sent henceforth through/the respective circuit, so that the strips 66 of all the corresponding compartments of the re- ,ceivers yR R ,will stop and show the same signs in the windows 98 as the drum 3 of the' i. tooth 11 of the .sender S just above the rule 90. This will be clear when'taking into consideration that the pawl 15 has engaged in as many teeth of the bent rack 12 as there are steps on the scroll 2 when counting from the highest step to that which the projection of the counting-lever 5 had struck.

Obviously all the counting-levers 5 and arms '6 will stop at different `moments in correspondence with the positions of the signs on the drums 3, or, in other words, in corre` spondence with the letters of the name of the station to be indicated. Thev clockwork will, in general, stop a while after the last counting-lever 5 has reached its extreme upper position, the 4two pins 25 25 of the spring-barrel 22 having fed the curb-wheel 26 one tooth after the Aother and at last brought the cut 27 of the disk 28 into the path of the pin 30 on the lever 29, when this pin 30 will engage in the cut, so that the detent 36 partaking in the motion of the lever 29, will stop the ily 24. At this ymoment all the receivers R R will indicate in their windows 98 the same station as the sender S. As already said, all the counting-levers 5 of the sender occupy their eXtreme position, so that their projections either rest. onpthe highest steps of the scrolls 2 or float in the air. When the conductor now adjusts all the drums of the sender S for anotherstation-name in the manner described above and turns the key-shaft 23 to wind on the spring in the spring-barrel 22, first all the circuit-changing swtches'58 59 will be brought into the other position and close all the secondary circuits. Then the battery B will senda current through the linev 103, the main line 104,' vthe respective lines 82, the contact-springs 61 and 63, the lines 83 the electromagnets 78 78 of the several receivers R R, and the intermediate lines 83 83, the lines 84, the main return 101,.and back through the line 102. The electromagnets 78 78 being thus energized will attract their armatures 76 and disengage the pawls 74 from the ratchet-wheels 68, whereupon all the springs 93 of all receivers RR will return their drums 64and 65 and strips 66 to the initial positions. Now the receivers R R will be ready for their actuation in the manner described above. It is evident that all the bent contact-s rings 21 require to be brought out ofthe paths of the contactarms 14 in the manner described above, so as to prevent the current from circulating in the main circuits at the moment when the second- .ary circuits are engaged for returning the parts of all the receivers R R to their initial position. Thereby all disorder is avoided.y

The electrical station-indicating system may be varied in many respects without departing from the spirit of my invention.

" What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In anl electrical station-indicating sys- IOS IIO

tem, the combination with a sender under `the charge of a conductor and comprising a se- -ries off-adjustable and revoluble drums with other-,contact-,pieces with which the contactfarms'can come in'contact, of aplurality -of "re'ceivers'in'zthe s everalcarriages of a train or theiricompartments and each'comprising two seriesof revoluble drums, strips connecting the drums ofthe two series and carrying signs ysyim-ilar-.tothose ofthe drums of the sender, springsfor returning the drums of thecne series to vtheir yinitial positions, ratchet-wheels rigidly' connectediwi-th the drums of the other series, stationary pawls, electromagnets with rocking armatures, movable pawls linked to thelxrocking armaturespspri-ngs fordetaching the armatures from the electromagnets and Awithdrawing-the lmovable pawls from the ratchet-Wl1els,and bra-kes for preventing the ratchet-wheels from shifting, further parallel lines connecting lin 4series the .corresponding electromagnets of the several receivers and the' corresponding contact-pieces of the sender,-af-conimon line connecting the parallel `lines at their ends, another common line connecting `the other contact-pieces of vthe sender, a battery, and lines 'connecting the battery vwith the two common lines.

2*.In ang-electrical station-indicating systern, the combination with a sender under the chargev ofa conductor and comprising a series ofadjustable and revoluble drums with vsigns on the periphery and with scrolls hav- Iing 4concentric steps:l of consecutively-decreasing radius in Icorrespondence with the y' signs, counting levers `with toothed, segments, springs' pressing the counting-.levers on the scrolls7 movable pawls, means for periodically moving the movable pawls-to feed the toothedv segments one tooth after the oter against the action of the springs, stationary ipawls adapted to ride over the teeth ofthe toothed segments, contact-arms rigidly :cennected with `the-stationary pawls, shiftable'contact-pieces-with which the contactarms can periodically come in contact, means for bringing theshiftable contact-pieces in and out of reach of -the contact-arms, circuitchanging'switches, lines connecting the circuit-changing switches with the contactarms, contact-pieces, contact-springs bearing against the contact-pieces and connected at their free ends with the circuit-changing switches from which they are insulated and `by which they are normally detached from the contact-pieces so that they normally bear against the circuit-changing switches, and means for moving the circuit-changing switches from the normal position to the other position and for simultaneously withdrawing the movable and stationary pawls from the toothed segments, of a plurality of receivers in the several carriages of a train magnets adapted to withdraw the stationary p awls from the rat chst-wheels, further parallel lines connecting in series the corresponding electromagnets of the severalreceivers with the corresponding shiftable contact-pieces of the sender, a common line connecting the parallel lines at their ends, branch lines connected with the Acontact-springs of the sender, another common line connecting the branch lines at their ends, a battery, lines connecting the battery with the two common lines, and parallel lines connecting in series the contact-pieces of the sender with the corresponding disengagingelectromagnets of the several receivers and with the one common line.

3.'[n an electrical station-indicating system, the combination with a frame, of a shaft in said4 frame, adjustable drums revoluble on said shaft and carrying signs on the periphery, scrolls each rigidly connected with one of said adjustable drums and having a plurality of concentric steps of consecutivelydecreasingradius, an axle in said frame parallel to said shaft, counting-levers mounted to rock on said axle and each adapted to strike a step of one of said scrolls, springs pressing said counting-levers on said scrolls, toothed segments each rigidly connected with one of said counting-levers, movable pawls, means for periodically moving said movable pawls to feed said toothed segments one tooth after the other against the action of said springs, stationary pawls on said frame and adapted to ride over the teeth of said toothed segments, and contact-arms IOO IOC

IlO

each rigidly connected with one of said stationary pawls landjadapted to periodically close a circuit', the whole 'forming' a sender under the charge of a conductor.

4. In an electrical station-indicating sys-` tem, the combination with a frame, of a shaft in said frame, adjustable drums revoluble on said shaft and carrying signs on, the periphery, arule on said frame for adjusting said adjustable drums, scrolls each rigidly connected with one of said adjustable drums and having a plurality of concentric steps of consecutivelywith oneof said counting-levers, an eccen-V tric-shaft mounted to turn in said frame and carrying eccentrics, movable pawls mounted to turn on the eccentrics of said eccentricshaft, a clockwork adapted for driving said eccentric-shaft to =feed said toothed segments one tooth after the other against the action of the springs, stationary pawls on said frame and adapted to ride over the teeth of said toothed segments, contact-armseach rigidly connected with one of said stationary pawls and adapted for periodically closing a circuit, and means controlled from said clockworkfor simultaneously withdrawing said movable pawls and said stationary pawls from said toothed segments,vthe whole forming a sender under the charge of a conductor. n testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEF ESSER. Witnesses:

WILLIAM KUEPPERs, Jon. ScHoLz. 

